Little cemetery holds a lot of history

That little cemetery, that brought dedicated Denver genealogist Richard Loesby to town recently, is rich in history.

The cemetery plot on private land is the resting place of James and Elizabeth Whittaker.

Captured by Indians in separate incidents in the late 18th century, they eventually were released and married.

Reputed to be the first white settlers in Ohio, the Whittakers operated successful trading posts along the Sandusky River and were influential with the Indians and linked to both the British and the American defenders of the area.

But the other person buried in the small cemetery plot is less known in this area, although he is an important historic figure.

An ancestor of Richard Loesby, Nathan Goodale also was a captive of the Indians. Having been captured at Farmers Castle at Belpre, Ohio, he was being transported to the Detroit area when he became too ill to travel. The Indians left him behind in the care of Mrs. Whittaker, according to numerous accounts, but he died soon afterward and was buried on the Whittaker property.

Goodale, first of all, distinguished himself during the Revolutionary War, particularly at Saratoga where the colonists scored a major victory over British Gen. John Burgoyne.

It was there that Goodale accepted an extremely dangerous scouting assignment - after others had been unsuccessful - seeking prisoners or information in the enemy-filled woods.

In recommending Goodale for promotion, Gen. Rufus Putnam wrote the following to General Washington:

"(Goodale) succeeded beyond expectation; first throwing himself between their out guards and their camp, where he concealed his party until he examined their situation very fully, and then brought off six prisoners, whom he took within their guards and returned to General Gates without any loss. A full detail of all the art and address which he discovered during the remainder of that campaign would make my letter quite too long. It may be enough to observe that, before the capture of the British army, one hundred and twenty-one prisoners fell into his hands."

Goodale also earned praise for success in combat at Saratoga and for his bravery in successfully defending a crucial pass during the fighting at Valentine Hill.

Thanks to the efforts of Goodale, on Oct. 17, 1777, Burgoyne surrendered his entire army of 5,800 men. This was the greatest victory the colonists had to that point, and it proved to be a turning point in the war.

Years later, Nathan Goodale moved his family to Marietta, Ohio.

According to the Goodale family history, "Nathan worked to improve cattle stock" and was successful in using cattle instead of oxen in pulling wagons, thus providing milk as well as labor.

He and his family were among the first party of women and children to arrive in Marietta in 1788.

A few years later, the Goodale family moved to Belpre on the Ohio River and Nathan became a community leader because of his agricultural expertise and his military experience at a time when skirmishes involving Americans, British, French and Indians were commonplace.

As the leader of community defenses, he directed the construction of a fortified stockade village known as the Farmers' Castle Fort and later additional stockades.

He was working on his farmland outside the fortified areas when he was kidnapped by Indians.

While Nathan Goodale was one of the pioneers of southeastern Ohio, his son Lincoln could be considered among the founders of Columbus.

Dr. Lincoln Goodale and his widowed mother moved to Franklinton (west Columbus) in 1805.

At the age of 23 he became the first physician to settle in that area.

Dr. Goodale also was a successful businessman whose wealth and generosity allowed him to provide free medical care for the poor.

He was the founder of Capital University and Trinity Episcopal Church.

On Saturday, May 2, 1862, the day of his funeral, the Columbus City Council passed a public resolution recognizing his many gifts to the city and charities to the poor.

Goodale Park is in the Victorian Village area of Columbus.

It was donated to the city in 1851 by Lincoln Goodale.

For a few months during the Civil War, it was a staging area for Union troops known as Camp Jackson.

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Little cemetery holds a lot of history

That little cemetery, that brought dedicated Denver genealogist Richard Loesby to town recently, is rich in history.